Browse > Article

TECHNOLOGY-NEUTRAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT REGULATION: IMPLICATIONS OF A SAFETY GOALS- DRIVEN PERFORMANCE-BASED REGULATION  

MODARRES MOHAMMAD (Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Maryland College Park)
Publication Information
Nuclear Engineering and Technology / v.37, no.3, 2005 , pp. 221-230 More about this Journal
Abstract
This paper reviews the pivotal phases of the evolution of the current technology-dependent nuclear power safety regulation in the United States. Understanding of this evolution is essential to the development of any future regulatory paradigm, including the technology-neutral regulatory approach that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recently embarked on to develop. The paper proposes and examines the implications of a predominately rationalist and best-estimate probabilistic regulatory framework called safety goals-driven performance-based regulation. This framework relies on continuous assessment of performance of a set of time-dependent safety-critical systems, structures and components that assure attainment of a broad set of technology-neutral protective, mitigative, and preventive goals. Finally, the paper discusses the steps needed to develop a corresponding technology-neutral regulatory system from the proposed framework.
Keywords
Risk-Informed; Technology Neutral; Performance-Based; Advanced Reactor Regulation;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Lord Cullen, The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster, HMSO Cm 1310, 1990.
2 Modarres, M. Krivtsov, V, Kaminskiy, K., Reliability Engineering and Risk Analysis: A Practical Guide, Marcel Dekker, 1999
3 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Safety Goal Policy Statement, 'Safety Goals for the Operations of Nuclear Power Plants; Policy Statement,' USNRC, Federal Register, Vol. 51, p. 30028 (51 FR 30028), August 4, 1986.
4 Pavey, D., et al., Cost Effective Modernisation of Systems Important to Safety, Post FISA-2003 Workshop Report, 2003.
5 Lord Robens, Safety and Health at Work. Report of the Committee 1970 - 72. HMSO Cmnd 5034, 1972.
6 SECY-02-0139, 'Plan for Resolving Policy Issues Related to Licensing Non-Light Water Reactor Designs July 22, 02'
7 Sorensen J., Apostolakis, G., Kress T., and Powers D. On The Role of Defense In Depth in Risk-Informed Regulation, Proceedings of PSA'99, Washington, DC, August 22-26, 1999.
8 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, WASH-1400: Reactor Safety Study (NUREG-75/014), Oct. 1975.
9 Rhodes R, the Making of the Atomic Bomb, New York, Simon & Schuster, 1986.